ABSTRACT Since the early 2000s, researchers have been taking advantage of the increasing availability of internet-based technology to gather intensive longitudinal data over short-term (e.g., hours, days) time intervals. However, phenomena that are relevant at long-term (e.g., months, years) time intervals may manifest themselves differently at different time scales. Much like climate change cannot be observed by evaluating the weather on a particular day––or even over a week or year––careful consideration is needed of what is examined when studying identity processes in real time instead of across longer periods of time. We discuss issues related to time scales in the study of identity by reviewing various identity theories offering operationalizations of real-time identity and broader developmental theories on micro-genetic forms of development. Next, we critically assess research examining identity commitment and exploration at the daily and weekly level. Finally, we offer recommendations for advancing the study of real-time identity, drawing from various subfields within identity research, including narrative identity and discursive approaches to identity construction. We aim to inspire new and important mixed-method research that can advance the measurement of micro-level identity, which is essential for gaining a better understanding of how identity formation processes operate on different time scales.

中文翻译：

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时间和身份：对现有实证研究、概念挑战和方法机会的评估

摘要 自 2000 年代初以来，研究人员一直在利用日益普及的基于互联网的技术在短期（例如，几小时、几天）时间间隔内收集密集的纵向数据。然而，在长期（例如，几个月、几年）时间间隔内相关的现象可能在不同的时间尺度上以不同的方式表现出来。就像气候变化无法通过评估某一天（甚至一周或一年）的天气来观察到一样，在实时研究身份过程而不是跨越更长的时间段时，需要仔细考虑检查的内容。我们通过回顾各种身份理论来讨论与身份研究中的时间尺度相关的问题，这些身份理论提供了实时身份的操作化和更广泛的关于微遗传发展形式的发展理论。接下来，我们批判性地评估每天和每周级别的身份承诺和探索研究。最后，我们提供了推进实时身份研究的建议，借鉴了身份研究中的各个子领域，包括身份建构的叙事身份和话语方法。我们的目标是激发新的和重要的混合方法研究，以推进微观层次身份的测量，这对于更好地理解身份形成过程在不同时间尺度上的运作方式至关重要。包括叙事身份和身份建构的话语方法。我们的目标是激发新的和重要的混合方法研究，以推进微观层次身份的测量，这对于更好地理解身份形成过程在不同时间尺度上的运作方式至关重要。包括叙事身份和身份建构的话语方法。我们的目标是激发新的和重要的混合方法研究，以推进微观层次身份的测量，这对于更好地理解身份形成过程在不同时间尺度上的运作方式至关重要。